How to compile to enable the capture device?

[ted]

Hi all,
I am using VLC 0.7.2 under Windows and Linux. Now in Windows, I can use VLC to capture video from the camera through the "directshow". I want to do the same thing in my Linux - cacapture the video from camera and audio from microphone. I compiled the VLC under my Linux. But I cannot see the "capture device" choice, there're only "file", "network" and "Disc" choices. I think I must have lost some thing when I compiling it.
I checked the help, maybe I should enable v4l when compiling. I hope to know what others should I do, and what others modules should I enable or add to it? Thank you!
TianTao

[The DJ]

You need v4l2 (both in your kernel as wel as in vlc)

[tiantao]

Thank you for your response. Do you mean that I should do 2 things to make the capture device avaliable. One is compile the vlc with -enable-v4l. Another is make the kernel support v4l? Can you please tell me how to make the kernel support v4l? what step should I take to make the kernel support v4l? Sorry for I am a newbie to Linux. Thank you!

[The DJ]

Search on google on how to make sure your kernel has v4l capabilities. This is a rather complicated thing and i'm sure there are specialized websites for it.

BTW post url's here if you find them. Easier for ppl following in your footsteps.

[tiantao]

I have some problem with input video from webcam in Linux. I have compiled vlc with option -enable-v4l. But I cannot see the difference from the interface. I can find the libv4l.a file in my /lib/vlc. But I cannot find the option to input video from webcam in the Linux interface, like dshow in Windows. I think I must have made some wrong. Could anyone help me to how to input video from my webcam. Thank you!

[mangoo]

Thank you for your response. Do you mean that I should do 2 things to make the capture device avaliable. One is compile the vlc with -enable-v4l. Another is make the kernel support v4l? Can you please tell me how to make the kernel support v4l? what step should I take to make the kernel support v4l? Sorry for I am a newbie to Linux. Thank you!

Generally v4l should be already compiled in the kernel, if you're using one of the major Linux distros, so I assume the only thing you need to do is to compile vlc with --enable-v4l.

Other thing is if your camera (whatever it is) is supported by the kernel, too.

[The DJ]

And of course to get the V4L GUI setup box you need to use the wxwindows interface and not the deprecated wxGTK or kde ones.

[tiantao]

Thank you for your answer. I think I may use kde to show the interface, so the v4l GUI isnot shown. But I tried the below command but it doesn't work:
vlc -vvv v4l:adev=/dev/dsp:audio=0
I input voice through microphone, but I cannot hear anything in my headphone.